Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she was confident BJP would not come to power in the Lok Sabha polls in which her party Trinamool Congress would emerge as the third largest party in the country.
Though Trinamool Congress would play a key role in government formation on account of her party becoming the third largest, Banerjee, Trinamool Congress chief, will not rather divulge her party's post-poll strategy.
"Trinamool Congress will be the third largest party in the country and will play a key role in forming government," Banerjee asserted while releasing the list of her party's candidates for the Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal and some other states.
Trinamool Congress is not part of the third front floated recently by 11 parties incluing the Left. On her prime ministerial prospect, Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, said, "I am not an astrologer. I am not in any competition. There are so many people aspiring. The people will decide."
She stressed the importance of this Lok Sabha poll, saying there would be certain change of government at the Centre but ruled out BJP's ascent to power. She alleged that the ruling Congress and the BJP were working together, as evident in their mutual cooperation on the Telangana issue.
Hitting out at the UPA government for "corruption" and finanically depriving West Bengal, she said, "We want a stable government. We want a industry-friendly and farmer's friendly government. We want economic stability and electoral reforms".
Criticising the Centre's decision to raise expenditure limits for Lok Sabha elections to a maximum of Rs 70 lakh, Banerjee reiterated her demand for state funding of elections.
"There is so much talk about black money and corruption, then why this move to increase the expenditure? I don't know if it's an attempt to legitimise black money, it's unfortunate," she said. "Ours is poor party. We do not have enough funds like Congress, BJP and CPI-M," she said.
